The Cobra Head Wheel Guard: Another unrealized technology

On our portal ZippoCollector.ru already met mention of this technology . In this short review, we will try to go a little further into the history and analyze in more detail the reasons for the disappearance of this seemingly very interesting design improvements Zippo.

In 1956 Zippo slim models put special protection between the wheel and the fuse inserts. This modified arrangement was known as the "cobra head» (cobra head) and was a kind of special protection from severe overheating kresala:

But, unfortunately, the metal partition could not settle down with the passage of time, especially after a Zippo Mfg Company found that this protection from overheating causes problems with the ignition of fuel vapor in the wick. Spark cut out the wheel, sometimes just did not reach the wick, resulting in a lighter ignited immediately, and at times could not work properly.

A year later, all the inserts with the device was removed from this protection, and most importantly - increased by a few millimeters distance between kresalom and wick. Increase the distance between the conductive (wick) and run the agent (flint wheel + = spark) was up for the lack of protection kresala. Thus, in 1957, all slim models already made, without built-in protection against overheating the wheel, that is, in such form, as to this day.

In these photos, small traces of corrosion protection kresala prolonged use, or rather from prolonged contact with the flame. On some lighters with a similar setting, this protection breaks off by itself, that was another reason for replacing the inserts by Zippo in 1957.

While writing this review, I was expecting a little surprise. In the history of Zippo lighters defense mechanism cobra head is known to most collectors, which occurs only on the models slim. However, it is not.

Narrow models slim Zippo Mfg Company began to develop in 1955, along with the already-existing usual classical (wide) models Zippo. In 1956, the first models were slim already known to us heat protection wheels - cobra head, from which a year later abandoned for the reasons therefor.

But in 1955 the technology already tested on normal inserts for classic Zippo lighters wide. According to some surveys of experts and collectors of Zippo, aware of the existence of only five large inserts for classical models with such protection, so to say, as far as they are rare and unique in terms of collecting, probably unnecessarily. In front of you is one of those instances (1953-56 gg.)

Article is based on material www.zippo-windproof-lighter.de

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Tags: Cobra Head

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